What is the Orton-Gillingham Approach, and Why Does it Work for All Students?

Unlike learning to speak, learning to read is not a natural process. It requires instruction that aligns with how the brain develops and processes written language. Reading instruction should not be based on philosophy or long-held beliefs. Just as we expect medical care to be grounded in research and science rather than a physician’s personal beliefs, reading instruction should be guided by evidence about how children actually learn to read.

The Orton-Gillingham Approach is effective because it aligns with how the brain learns to read. Decades of research show that reading is not learned by guessing, memorizing, or being surrounded by books. Reading needs to be taught. Although Orton-Gillingham is often associated with dyslexia, its true strength is that it works exceptionally well for every learner, not just those who struggle.

A Brief History of Orton-Gillingham

The Orton-Gillingham Approach was developed in the early twentieth century by Dr. Samuel Orton, a neuropsychiatrist and pathologist, and Anna Gillingham, an educator and psychologist. Dr. Orton’s clinical work with children who struggled to read led him to reject the idea that reading difficulties were caused by low intelligence or lack of effort. Instead, he recognized that students needed explicit instruction in how written language works.

Anna Gillingham took these insights and, along with Bessie Stillman, helped systematize them into a clear instructional framework that emphasized structure, sequence, and multisensory learning. Over time, this work became the foundation for what we now call the Orton-Gillingham Approach and, more broadly, structured literacy.

Principles of the Orton-Gillingham Approach*

The Orton-Gillingham Academy Principles focus attention on the social and emotional well-being, personal strengths, and educational needs of each learner. They have proven effective for groups and individuals, including both typical and struggling readers.

Orton-Gillingham Works for All Students in the General Education Classroom

One of the most common misconceptions is that Orton-Gillingham is only appropriate for small groups or special education settings. In reality, instruction aligned with Orton-Gillingham principles works for all students in general education classrooms.

When teachers use these principles schoolwide, early reading gaps are prevented rather than remediated later. Instruction becomes clear, consistent, and predictable. Students gain confidence because they understand why words work the way they do. Teachers also benefit from a shared instructional language and approach.

Whole-class Orton-Gillingham instruction benefits strong readers, developing readers, multilingual learners, and students who might otherwise quietly fall behind.

When Students Need a More Intensive Approach

Some students, particularly those with dyslexia or other language-based learning differences, need greater intensity rather than a different method. In these cases, Orton-Gillingham instruction may involve smaller group or one-to-one lessons, slower pacing with increased repetition, more cumulative review and practice, and additional instructional time. Because the approach is already structured and diagnostic, it naturally scales to meet students where they are without abandoning the core principles that make it effective.

Why Certification Matters

Orton-Gillingham certification matters because it ensures that educators have completed rigorous, supervised training that goes far beyond surface-level strategies.

Certified Orton-Gillingham educators understand the reasoning behind the instruction, not just the steps. They can analyze student errors and respond instructionally. They deliver lessons with fidelity, precision, and intentional pacing. They are trained to support both prevention and intervention.

Certification protects students from inconsistent or incomplete implementation and ensures that instruction truly reflects the research and principles behind the Orton-Gillingham Approach.

A Foundation That Works for All Students

At its core, the Orton-Gillingham Approach is about equity. It removes guesswork from reading instruction and replaces it with clarity, structure, and responsiveness. When implemented well by trained educators and embedded into the fabric of a school, it ensures that reading success is accessible to all students.

Strong readers are not born. They are built. At Cornerstone, we are building strong readers, thinkers, and leaders so all children will rise with the power of literacy.

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*Principles of the Orton-Gillingham Approach

1. Diagnostic and Prescriptive

Instruction is designed to promote accuracy and automaticity and is modified based on student response.

2. Individualized

Lessons are customized to meet the learner's needs.

3. Language-Based and Alphabetic/Phonetic

Orton-Gillingham addresses all levels of language, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. It recognizes that reading is a complex linguistic process.

4. Simultaneously Multisensory

Students engage visual, auditory, and kinesthetic (tactile) pathways simultaneously. They see the letter, say the sound, and write or manipulate it, which strengthens memory and understanding.

5. Direct and Explicit

Concepts are clearly stated, modeled, and practiced, moving from a high level of support to independent application.

6. Structured, Sequential, and Cumulative, but Flexible

Instruction is logically organized, moving from simple to complex, with reinforcement of previously taught skills.

7. Synthetic and Analytic

Instruction moves from parts to whole and whole to parts at all levels of language.

8. Cognitive

Instruction encourages thinking and reasoning rather than reliance on rote memorization.

9. Emotionally Sound

Instruction builds confidence and trust by ensuring the learner achieves regular success.